IN THE PRESENCE OF YOUR ABSENCE

CHAPTER 10

Y/N'S POV

The sun was starting to set, casting a golden glow over the campus as Taehyung and I made our way back after the graduation ceremony. The day had been a whirlwind of emotions—excitement, nostalgia, and a tinge of sadness—but somehow, standing next to Taehyung made everything feel manageable. I could see the sparkle in his eyes, like he was holding onto a secret he couldn't wait to share.

As we reached the entrance of my dorm, Taehyung suddenly stopped and turned to me, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Wait right here," he said, raising a finger as if to tell me to stay put.

"What are you up to?" I asked, laughing as I watched him walk over to his car.

He returned with a small envelope in his hand, the grin on his face growing even wider. He handed it to me without a word, and I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's this?"

"Open it and find out," he said, rocking back on his heels, clearly enjoying the suspense.

I carefully tore open the envelope, my heart racing in anticipation. Inside was a plane ticket. My eyes widened as I read the destination—Europe.

"Oh my God, Taehyung!" I gasped, my hands trembling as I stared at the ticket in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

He laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I figured we could use a little getaway after everything. A fresh start, just the two of us, exploring Europe. What do you think?"

I was speechless. Europe had always been a dream of mine, and for him to plan this—especially after all we had been through—it felt like the perfect escape. "I... I don't even know what to say," I stammered, feeling tears of joy welling up in my eyes. "This is incredible, Taehyung. You're incredible."

He stepped closer, cupping my face in his hands as he smiled down at me. "You deserve this, Y/N. We both do. It's time we leave everything behind and just focus on us. No more distractions, no more sadness. Just you and me, making new memories."

I leaned into his touch, overwhelmed by the gesture. "When did you plan all of this?" I asked, still trying to wrap my head around the surprise.

"A while ago," he admitted with a chuckle. "I knew after graduation we'd need something to look forward to. So... what do you say? Are you ready for an adventure?"

I didn't even need to think twice. "Yes," I whispered, throwing my arms around his neck. "Yes, I'm ready."

He spun me around, laughing as he held me tight. The weight of the past month, of losing Jungkook, of the heavy emotions, seemed to lift, if only for a moment. In this moment, with Taehyung, everything felt lighter. It felt like a new beginning.

"I can't believe we're going to Europe," I said, still in disbelief as I pulled back to look at him.

"Believe it," he grinned. "We leave next week. Get ready, Y/N. This is just the start."

And as he kissed me softly under the fading light of the day, I realized that for the first time in a long time, I felt excited about the future. Taehyung was right. This was our time. And Europe... well, it was the perfect place to begin our next chapter.

OTHER SIDE

AUTHOR'S POV

A man with build body stood in the balcony, arms stretched wide as if embracing the sky. The setting sun cast a golden hue over the cityscape, and the man couldn't help but laugh, the sound echoing into the open air.